Cowboys lose copyright case

March 1, 2009 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 2009:
CHICAGO–The Electronic Frontiers Foundation on February 12,
2009 announced that the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association has
agreed to pay $25,000 and accept restraints on making claims of
copyright violation against the animal advocacy group Showing Animals
Respect & Kindness.
Asserting that SHARK had violated the federal Digital
Millennium Act, the PRCA in December 2007 pressured YouTube into
removing from the web several videos of rodeo violence posted by
SHARK. The Electronic Frontiers Foundation then sued the PRCA on
SHARK’s behalf.
“The money goes to EFF, not us,” SHARK founder Steve Hindi
told ANIMAL PEOPLE. “That’s only fair, as they put a lot of time
into the case, and we could never have won it without them. The
exciting part for us is that the PRCA has agreed not to enforce a ‘no
videotaping’ provision in its ticket contracts against us, unless it
enforces the same provision against others. This means the PRCA may
no longer selectively enforce the provision against critics.”

Relief aid reaches animals in Gaza

March 1, 2009 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 2009:
Livestock, working animals, and the surviving animals at
the Gaza Zoo on January 29, 2009 received food and veterinary
supplies donated by ANIMAL PEOPLE readers and the World Society for
the Protection of Animals. Thirty truckloads of oats, hay, and
medicines reached Gaza after the Israeli charity Let The Animals Live
won special authorization for the relief convoy from the Israeli
defense ministry. Distribution of the food and supplies in Gaza was
coordinated by Imad Atrash of the Palestine Wildlife Society. “This
collaboration between us and the Palestinians is proof that the
animals are not part of the political conflict,” said Let The
Animals Live spokesperson Eti Altman. “I am hoping that through the
animals we will be able to draw the two sides closer together.”

Hell & high water hit Down Under

March 1, 2009 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 2009:
MELBOURNE–Dozens of fast-spreading bushfires, many of them
believed to have been set by arsonists, killed countless animals
and hundreds of humans who tried to save their homes and animals in
drought-stricken northeastern Victoria state, Australia during the
first weekend of February 2009.
Among the first 181 known human fatalities were five
prominent animal advocates and two young sisters who tried
unsuccessfully to evacuate their horses [see page 18]. More than 200
rural Australians were missing in a burned region larger than
Luxembourg, pending searches of rubble that remained smouldering for
as long as a week.

Trying to help animals in Gaza

January 1, 2009 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2009:
GAZA–Networking with animal rescuers near Gaza, in both
Palestine and Israel, collecting money for animal relief in the
combat zones, ANIMAL PEOPLE president Kim Bartlett helped to start a
rescue effort less than 10 days after the shooting began on December
27, 2008–long before there was any clear sign of when the fighting
might end, despite rumors that Israel would pull back troops from
Gaza before the January 20, 2009 inauguration of new U.S. President
Barack Obama.
“We are now working with the Israeli charity Let The Animals
Live to help us get medicine and supplies into Gaza,” reported
Palestine Wildlife Society executive director Imad Atrash. “There
some of our friends with the ministry of agriculture, the veterinary
department, and with other nonprofit organizations will help us,”
Atrash hoped.

Colorado Humane Society in receivership

January 1, 2009 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2009:
DENVER–The Colorado Humane Society, operating since 1881,
was on Decemeber 16, 2008 placed in receivership.
“The motion, filed by Colorado Attorney General John Suthers
in Arapahoe County Court, immediately removes executive director
Mary C. Warren, her husband Robert Warren,” who was development
director, “and Mary Warren’s daughter, Stephenie L. Gardner,” who
was director of operations, “and bars them from any control of the
charity’s assets,” reported Howard Pankratz of the Denver Post.

“No whales killed” during 18-day Sea Shepherd pursuit of Japanese fleet

January 1, 2009 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2009:
HOBART, Tasmanic, Australia– The
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s fourth
consecutive winter campaign against Japanese
“research” whaling off Antarctica ran out of
fuel–but not before chasing the multi-vessel
whaling fleet for more than 2,000 miles through
the southernmost waters claimed by Australia and
New Zealand.
“No whales were taken,” said Sea
Shepherd founder Paul Watson, during the
pursuit, between December 20, 2008 and January
7, 2009.
The Sea Shepherd vessel Steve Irwin
expected to dock for refueling in Hobart,
Tasmania, on January 15. Japanese officials
reportedly asked Australia to refuse landing
privileges to the Steve Irwin. As prime minister
Kevin Rudd was on vacation, acting prime
minister Julia Gillard ruled that, “The Steve
Irwin will be permitted to dockŠThere is
insufficient reason to prevent the Steve Irwin
from doing that.”

Best Friends announces leadership change

January 1, 2009 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2009:
KANAB, Utah–The Best Friends Animal Society on January 13,
2009 announced that “by mutual agreement between the board and Paul
Berry, Mr. Berry would no longer serve as chief executive officer,
a position he has held since the spring 2006. The board is in
discussion with Mr. Berry about a possible future role with the
organization.”
Best Friends cofounder Gregory Castle told ANIMAL PEOPLE that
Berry’s exit would not mean any significant change in the policies,
philosophy, or modus operandi of Best Friends, the largest no-kill
animal sheltering organization in the world, and the fastest-growing
major U.S. animal advocacy organization since reincorporating as a
501(c)(3) charity in 1996.

Funds raised for fake sanctuary

January 1, 2009 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2009:
PALM BEACH–The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation
Commission and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office on November 18,
2008 arrested Heather Southworth, 26, for allegedly unlawfully
soliciting funds for an unregistered charity called Rescue: Big Cat
Organization–which appears to have existed entirely in cyberspace.
The Rescue: Big Cat Organization web site, still active on
December 27, 2008 but taken down soon afterward, claimed to
represent a charity founded in Pennsylvania in 1985, also operating
sanctuaries in New York, North Carolina, and Florida. The site
included photos and stories about many purportedly rescued animals,
and listed 18 supposed staff.

IRS to crack down on non-filing nonprofits

January 1, 2009 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2009:
Half a million U.S. charities, including hundreds of small
animal rescues, may lose their federal nonprofit status in May 2010,
after failing for three consecutive years to file either Internal
Revenue Service Form 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, or 990-N.
Form 990 is the standard reporting form for charities that
solicit funds from the public. Form 990-EZ is used by charities
raising between $25,000 and $50,000 per year. Form 990-PF is used by
private foundations.
The IRS formerly exempted charities with annual income of
less than $25,000 from any filing requirement, but the Pension
Protection Act of 2006 created Form 990-N, which all charities must
file if they do not file any of the other versions of Form 990. The
requirement applies to all tax years ending on or after December 31,
2007. Revocation of nonprofit status is automatic if the filing
requirement is not met. Charities that lose nonprofit status for not
filing will have to petition the IRS for reinstatement.

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